See below our quickfire 2023 Dublin Racing Festival tips as the top-class Leopardstown horse racing action gets going on Saturday with a 7-race card that will also provide a load more clues for the Cheltenham Festival next month.
We’ve also got the best 2023 Dublin Racing Festival betting offers for new and existing customers here – so, why not snap-up a new betting account and some free bets along the way too?
Galopin Des Champs The Big Star On Day One Of The Dublin Racing Festival
Day one of the 2023 Dublin Racing Festival kicks off with a bang as horse racing fans can enjoy three Grade One contests as soon as the tapes go up for the first race at 1:20.
Top Irish trainer Willie Mullins landed the first three contest 12 months ago, so can he do it again?
His ‘day one’ star names include Lossiemouth (1:20), who is a big fancy in the Spring Juvenile Hurdle, while he’s got both Appreciate It and Dysart Dynamo in the Irish Arkle (2:30) if what looks a fascinating matchup, but it’s his Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs (3.05 Irish Gold Cup) that is likely to be grabbing all the headlines.
It’s all set to be unmissable afternoon of horse racing jumps action and we’ve got our quickfire 1-2-3 Dublin Racing Festival tips and Leopardstown best bets to help.
2023 Dublin Racing Festival Tips On Day One | Saturday 4th February
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1:20 – Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors “50,000 Cheltenham Bonus For Stable Staff” Nov Hurdle (Grade 1) (5yo+) 2m6f RTV
SPORTSLENS 1-2-3 LEOPARDSTOWN TIPS: This has been a good race for the Willie Mullins yard in recent years – with 7 wins since 2013 – so their Quais De Paris, the mount of Paul Townend, and Grangeclare West can go well. However, the Barry Connell-trained GOOD LAND could upset the Mullins dominance this year having looked very impressive in winning at the track last time out at the end of December. The step up in trip is expected to suit and he’s already a leading fancy for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival next month.
- GOOD LAND
- QUAIS DE PARIS
- GRANGECLARE WEST
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1:55 – Donohue Marquees Spring Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (4yo) 2m RTV
SPORTSLENS 1-2-3 LEOPARDSTOWN TIPS: It’s the first of the big day one Dublin Festival bankers as the Willie Mullins-trained LOSSIEMOUTH will be all the rage to take this before heading to the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, where she’s already @ 6/5 with BetUK. Mullins and top owner Rich Ricci also took this prize last season with Vauban and the yard have won 50% of the last 8 renewals. Lossiemouth has won all three starts to date and was super impressive here last time – beating stablemate Gala Marceau by 7 1/2 lengths – so it can be more of the same with the other Mullins runners Tekao and Gust Of Wind left to fight it out for third.
- LOSSIEMOUTH
- GALA MARCEAU
- GUST OF WIND
RELATED: 2023 Irish Champion Hurdle Trends | Do The Leopardstown Stats Point To State Man?
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2:30 – Goffs Irish Arkle Novice Chase (Grade 1) (5yo+) 2m1f RTV
SPORTSLENS 1-2-3 LEOPARDSTOWN TIPS: Another race the Mullins yard have dominated – winning 5 of the last 8 runnings – and he’s at it again with the classy pair of Appreciate It and Dysart Dynamo running for the stable. Cases can be made for both but having had a tad more experience over fences (2 wins) the nod just goes to APPRECIATE IT, who was last seen bolting up at Naas at the start of January. El Fabiolo, who is yet another Mullins runner, can pick up the pieces for bronze.
- APPRECIATE IT
- DYSART DYNAMO
- EL FABIOLO
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3:05 – Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup (Grade 1) (5yo+) 3m RTV
SPORTSLENS 1-2-3 LEOPARDSTOWN TIPS: It’s Irish Gold Cup time next and all eyes will be on the current Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite GALOPIN DES CHAMPS, who will be looking to give Mullins yet another big winner on day one of the Dublin Racing Festival. This 7 year-old has won 4 of his 5 starts, with this only blip coming when falling at the last (well clear) in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last March. He’s since won at Fairyhouse and Punchestown, to put that tumble behind him, and barring accidents can take this day one feature before heading to Prestbury Park to try and justify his short Cheltenham odds for the Gold Cup. The consistent Stattler and the 2021 winner of this race Kemboy could easily lead home another Mullins 1-2-3!
- GALOPIN DES CHAMPS
- STATTLER
- KEMBOY
RELATED: Free Horse Racing NAP of the Day for today – See our best bet of the day here
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3:40 – Race And Stay At Leopardstown Handicap Hurdle (Grade B) (4yo+ 0-150) 3m RTV
SPORTSLENS 1-2-3 LEOPARDSTOWN TIPS: A much more competitive race next and a chance is taken on GRONZI (e/w) from the shrewd Charles Byrnes yard. This 7 year-old has won 3 of his last 5 starts, including last time at Leicester, but gets in here with just 10st 8lbs to carry and jockey Philip Byrnes can take off another 5lbs. Of the rest, CD winner Maxxum will be popular for the Elliott yard after bolting-up by 16 lengths here last time despite being up 18lbs, while Blue Sari for Mullins, Townend and McManus is also respected.
- GRONZI (e/w)
- MAXXUM
- BLUE SARI
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4:10 – Sandyford Handicap Chase (Grade B) (5yo+ 0-150) 2m1f RTV
SPORTSLENS 1-2-3 LEOPARDSTOWN TIPS: A WAVE OF THE SEA has won this race for the last two years and looks worth sticking with to land a famous three-timer for top owner JP McManus. He’s rated only 2lbs higher than 12 months ago, but connections are offsetting that with jockey Aidan Kelly able to claim 7lbs. He’s taken a similar route as past seasons too and has certainly had this race as a target since. Another JP runner Get My Drift, who is a course winner and sports the first-time cheekpieces, can go well too, while Final Orders has won 5 of this last 6 races and must be respected in this current mood.
- A WAVE OF THE SEA (e/w)
- GET MY DRIFT
- FINAL ORDERS
RELATED: Can A Wave Of The Sea Make A Splash At The Dublin Racing Festival For A Fourth Time?
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4:40 – Future Stars (C & G) I.N.H. Flat Race (Grade 2) (4-7yo) 2m RTV
SPORTSLENS 1-2-3 LEOPARDSTOWN TIPS: Ruby Walsh recently went on record as saying that the Willie Mullins-trained CHOSEN WITNESS was a fair price for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival @ 12/1 with BetUK, so it goes without saying he’ll need to perform well here to justify that confidence. His only outing was an impressive win at Limerick at the end of December on heavy ground so with the expected improvement could really be anything. Connections of Fascile Vega are also made no secret they feel this horse is useful and was a nice winner of debut here over CD, while Mullins also has Fact To File who won over 2m4f last time at the track so could make full use of that stamina dropped back to 2m.
- CHOSEN WITNESS
- FASCILE MODE
- FACT TO FILE
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